Independence Day celebrations bring cheer to Jakartans

Independence Day celebrations bring cheer to Jakartans

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

JAKARTA (JP): In the increasingly tumultuous bustle of city
life, the annual activities of the Aug. 17 Independence Day
celebrations provide a welcomed respite for many Jakarta
residents.

"There's no other day which can compete with the gaiety of the
independence celebrations, not even Lebaran or New Year's Eve,"
Mahwani Yacub, the wife of the RT 04 neighborhood unit chief in
Rempoa subdistrict, South Jakarta told The Jakarta Post on
Saturday.

Each year, neighborhoods throughout the city hold various
activities, ranging from sporting events and community work to
free entertainment shows, creating a carnival like atmosphere in
the run-up to the auspicious date.

"Everybody is involved ... my husband and his friends, the
housewives like myself, along with the youngsters," Mahwani
remarked, adding that the festivities help boost the community's
sense of togetherness.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja himself just this past week called
on everyone in the capital to participate in celebrating
Independence Day.

Through Gubernatorial Instruction No. 270/1994, Surjadi
ordered municipal offices, all the way down to the subdistrict
levels, to beautify their areas with flags and colorful banners.

"Let's seize this moment in Jakarta to promote a sense of
national unity," Surjadi said.

He asked that people of all levels of society, whether they
are in the subdistricts or high-rise buildings, to actively
participate by decorating their areas and holding constructive
activities.

"I can't believe people in high-rise buildings, who are mostly
rich, can't afford to celebrate the occasion, while the people in
kampongs can," the governor remarked.

Following the governor's instructions, neighborhood leaders
began to collect funding for various activities some months ago.

Donations

"We ask people for donations when we collect the monthly
neighborhood fee. They're usually very cooperative and
understanding," said Rusli Bachtiar, head of the RT 03
neighborhood unit in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta.

He said that each year between Rp 500,000 to Rp 700,000 is
collected to construct a colorful portal at the mouth of the
street and to hang colorful ribbons, banners and flags along the
fences.

Some of the money also goes to buy prizes for the winners of
the adult and children's games put on to celebrate Independence
Day.

A similar thing happens at the Pancoran Mas Permai estate in
Depok where the 200 families living there contribute at least Rp
7,000 each.

As part of their activities, the people in this community
gather together to tidy-up their neighborhood.

Besides the community sports competitions, the total budget of
Rp 1.4 million is spent on a roast mutton dinner for all the
residents of the complex on the night of Aug. 17.

Approach

At the 07 neighborhood in Pondok Karya, which is located at
the border of the South Jakarta mayoralty and the Tangerang
township, residents take a slightly different approach to their
community work.

"We hire the less privileged people who live around the area
to help us with the community work. They're better at it and also
more effective because they do a better job," said Samad, a
member of the local Karang Taruna youth organization.

He said that the youth also help in cleaning up the
neighborhood but much of the heavy work is done by the hired men.

Samad said that the activities, organized by the local youth,
are always very popular with the people.

"Especially the children's games, the young ones look forward
to these, so even if we are a little short of funds we always
have them for the kids," he said.

Samad also said that sometimes residents were being asked to
donate white or black paint so that the road curbs can be nicely
colored.

"Usually at around Aug. 17 there is an open air theater at a
nearby complex ... that draws crowds from all around," Samad
said.

Asmariyah, the RT 03 neighborhood unit chief in Rempoa, has
even donated Rp 100,000 from her own pursue in order to help the
planned celebration.

"I've found that the festivities are the most exhilarating
time in the whole year. The people in this neighborhood are never
absent in taking part."